BMW introduces XM luxury SUV to the Korean market

Industry

Published: 28 Mar. 2023, 11:46 Updated: 28 Mar. 2023, 16:48

BMW introduces XM luxury SUV to the Korean market

Singer G-Dragon poses with the BMW XM during an unveiling event Tuesday in southern Seoul. [YONHAP]

BMW introduced the XM luxury SUV to the Korean market on Tuesday, its first plug-in hybrid under the high-performance M brand.

BMW XM is also the first truly dedicated M vehicle since the M1, which was introduced in 1978.

The German carmaker calls it a sports activity vehicle (SAV), emphasizing its sporty approach, and describes it as the “most powerful vehicle ever launched by the M brand.”

BMW's XM [BMW KOREA]

Powered by a 4.4-liter and 8-cylinder petrol engine, the XM boasts a maximum of 653 horsepower and 81.6 kilogram-meters of torque.

It only takes 4.3 seconds to reach 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour from zero.

The hybrid also comes with a 29.5-kilowatt-hour battery that can travel up to 62 kilometers solely on its electric motor, based on the Environment Ministry's standards.

It needs about four hours to fully charge the vehicle.

BMW used more than 100 LEDs in the headliner, which offers ambient lighting and provides additional alerts for incoming calls and safety notifications.

Interior of the BMW's XM [BMW KOREA]

The XM also comes with the IconicSounds system, developed with world-famous film composer Hans Zimmer, which makes a similar engine sound to sports cars when driving in sport mode.

Its sticker price starts from 222 million won ($171,000).

The XM will be on display at the Seoul Mobility Show 2023, the largest auto event in Korea, which is slated to begin on March 31 at the Kintex exhibition center in Goyang, Gyeonggi.